Pains of the Past
by Arina and Kai
Summary: The Kyuubi, Demon Fox, begins to change Naruto, slowly. To escape, Naruto comes up with a foolish plan to run away from the Leaf Village, away from the taunting and the many other things that came with it. [Better summary Inside][SasukexNaruto]
1. Prologue

Third story! Rejoice! Haha, yeah. Like I said, the ideas are flowing. This is actually my first Naruto fic. This is a used idea, but every fan fiction is different in their own way right? Oh well. I'm in a huge Naruto mood anyway, or NarutoxSasuke rather. Don't like, don't read. There is no reason for you to be here if you don't like the pairing, so I. Will. Not. Accept. Flames.

I had the song Every Heart playing, so please don't mind that fact that this is a bit sad. I actually cried.

Better Summary: The Kyuubi, Demon Fox, begins to change Naruto, slowly. To escape, Naruto comes up with a foolish plan to run away from the Leaf Village, away from the taunting and the many other things that came with it. This left Sasuke, Sakura, and all those who were close to him baffled and upset. Especially Sasuke, who suddenly became mute and would tell nobody his reasons for doing so.

Many years passed, and now Sasuke is 17, Sakura is 16, and Naruto is 16. Everyone changed over the course of years. Sasuke was now an ANBU, Sakura was a medical ninja, and nobody had seen head or tail of Naruto. But, who is this strange man that Sakura finds wounded in the forest while chasing a few genin?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I'm too lazy to come up with a crafty disclaimer as well.

* * *

**Chapter One: Prologue**

" Naruto! Naruto!" Sakura called, trying to find her teammate. He hadn't shown up for their lesson, so she, Kakashi-sensei, and Sasuke were looking for him. They all eventually met up together at the training grounds.

" No luck?" Kakashi asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

Sakura shook her head, " No."

Sasuke shook his head as well, " Same here. No sign of him."

Kakashi sighed, " Oh well, looks like we have to report to the Fifth then." He said, scratching the back of his head.

Sakura stared at the ground, " I hope nothing happened to him..."

xXx

" You're telling me you lost Uzumaki Naruto?"

" Ma'am, we didn't lose him. We thing he just ran off on his won." Kakashi said, trying to escape Tsunade's wrath.

" And you three looked everywhere?"

Sasuke and Sakura nodded.

Tsunade sighed, putting her hand to her forehead and motioning her assistant over, " Send a search team out for Uzumaki Naruto. He has blonde hair; blue eyes, and wears an orange outfit." Given that information, her assistant nodded and was off.

" Now, lets try to figure out why he disappeared. Had he been acting differently?" The questions were directed at Sakura and Sasuke.

" Um... not really. He was just a little more defiant than usual." Sakura answered.

Sasuke agreed, " Yeah, he wasn't as talkative either."

Tsunade nodded, " All right. Was anyone treating him differently?"

Sasuke answered first this time, " He was getting teased and mocked by quite a few people."

Tsunade rolled her eyes, " Well, there's our answer right there. He most likely ran off to escape being taunted. He was probably fed up. How long was this going on for?"

Sakura thought, " Hm... About two weeks." She concluded, proving Tsunade's theory further.

" Well, if they don't find Naruto, then I don't know what to do. Unless he comes back on his own I think we've lost him."

xXx

" Sasuke? Hello?" Sakura nagged, trying to get a response out of the Uchiha. He refused to answer her, and she was trying to figure out why.

" Come on!" She followed him down the street, shouting and earning many odd looks from the villagers. She turned a bright shade of red, soon yelling at Sasuke again, " See what you made me do! People are staring now!"

Sasuke stopped walking and turned his head to face her, glaring as if telling her to leave him alone. Shoving his hand sin his pockets, he continued walking. This only succeeded in frustrating Sakura more.

The Ninja that Tsunade had sent out were unable to find Naruto, making their worst fears a reality. What would happen now? Everyone in the village seemed happy, always talking about how happy they were that the Kyuubi, Fox Demon, was finally gone.

Sakura eventually gave up, after about an hour of pestering Sasuke. He finally got his point across that he wasn't talking to her, or anyone for that matter. He didn't even say hello or anything to Kakashi when they ran into him on the street.

Sasuke sighed, he was finally able to have a moments peace. Sakura wanted answers, and she'd get them eventually. Just not any time soon. Sasuke was upset, what was there left for him here? His whole family, excluding his brother, had been killed, and now his best friend was missing. Yes, Sasuke considered his best friend to be Naruto Uzumaki. He even found it hard to believe, but he did. He held a special spot in his heart, or what was left of it, for Naruto. Just another tragedy to add to his list.

* * *

Yeah I know, it was short and a bit rushed. Oh well, that was just the prologue. Please continue reading! The next chapters will be better, you'll see! Well, third times the charm as they say. Let's hope that my third story is a hit! D

- Arina


	2. Lost and Found

Well, again I'm in the mood to type a sad story. Are you people mad at me for not updating Through the Eyes of A Memory? Sorry. I'll post the update info on my page in a bit.

Back to the story; This jumps ahead about 4 or 5 years. Everyone's grown up, and I'm also introducing new pairings; HinataxKiba, SakuraxLee -She made him do something with his appearance...- NejixTenTen and of course the SasukexNaruto.

You've been warned. If you don't like the pairings, I don't want to hear about it in a flame! They will be ignored! Or eaten by rabid weasels... whichever one is more convenient for me at the time. Those weasels are looking pretty nice. D

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto... that sucks... Sasuke would've never gone with Orochimaru if I owned it! -pout-

* * *

**Chapter Two: Lost and Found **

" Sensei! Sensei!" Two little girls shouted, running to a pink haired teen that they had seen on the streets.

" Ah! Kyra, Naomi!" She exclaimed, greeting the two genin. The two girls were very attached to her, and were always eager to hear about how to heal people in different ways. One of the genin, Naomi, held a small bundle of roots in her arms.

" Sakura-sensei, can these do anything? Kyra says they can't because they're just roots!" They always called her 'sensei', despite her protests.

" Hm," Sakura knelt down to their level, " Well, I actually believe you've managed to dig up a root that can get ground up and put into drinks, to relieve throat aches."

A shout of, " I told you so!" immediately erupted from Naomi as she stuck her tongue out at the disgruntled Kyra.

Kyra smiled though, " Okay, lets go find some more!" Naomi nodded, running off the where they found the roots with Kyra following close behind. Sakura sighed, running a hand through her bangs. They reminded her of herself when she was a genin. Kyra was always teased for her glasses, and Naomi was the only one that ever stood up for the poor girl. They were absolutely inseparable.

Sakura had changed a lot over the course of the years. Her hair had grown back and now she always wore it in a ponytail that rested on the back of her neck and sometimes she would sling it over her shoulder. Her outfit hadn't changed much. Now it was a red dress that reached a few inches above her knees with black pants underneath. She was now 16, and a medical ninja.

She watched the kids' backs for a minute before continuing down the road, waving and smiling at people she knew. One person caught her eye. He was just standing there, watching the people go by. She couldn't help it, she had to approach him.

Cautiously, she walked until she was a few feet in front of the man, who seemed to be about her age actually. A hood, attached to his shirt, covered most of his face. She offered a kind smile, " Hello! I've never seen you around before, are you new here?"

The stranger remained silent for a few moments, wondering whether or not to speak with this girl. " I'm just passing through, but this is my first time here."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, as if examining the stranger. There was something about him... something that felt uneasy. Then another thing caught her eye, this guy had a huge gash on his right arm, and it was still bleeding. Her eyes widened, " Ah, sir, um, your arm!" She exclaimed.

The stranger looked down at it, " Oh, this? It's nothing don't worry."

" Unfortunately, it's my job to worry." She said, a bit surprised at how this guy acted to seeing half of his arm nearly covered in blood. She took his other arm in her hand, surprising him a bit. " Come on, I can help you." She offered.

The guy tugged his arm away, " No, I'm fine. I don't need your help." He said, almost sternly.

Sakura wouldn't give up that easily though, " Look, you can't just ignore that! You'll bleed to death!" She took his arm again, with great force, and practically dragged the stranger down the street.

He tried to pry her hand off, but no luck. Sakura turned her head as she walked to look at him, " You know, it might help you see how bad your arm is if you'd open your eyes!" She had noticed that this guys eyes had been closed the whole time she had seen him. Were they always like this? He must've had great senses to be able to maneuver without using sight.

" You're awfully bossy." he stated, in an almost taunting tone. This girls voice sounded vaguely familiar, but he ignored it.

She led him to the hospital, (is that what they call it in Konoha?) He mumbled something under his breath as she signed back in after being on her break. " Just a little further, after your arms healed you can do whatever you want." She assured him, but he still wasn't pleased about being dragged around like this. She then led him through various hallways, finding an empty room and almost being forced to tie him down.

" All right, just lemme find what I need." She said, rummaging through drawers and cabinets, taking out things like bandages, and herbs that she liked to use.

" Sakura, there you are!" Someone called, making both Sakura and the stranger look up. It was Tsunade, the Fifth.

" Ah, Hokage! What's the matter?" Sakura asked, attempting to figure out the amount of bandages she'd need.

Tsunade folded her arms, " I just wanted to know if you were free, someone reported to me that there was someone wandering around with a bloody arm." She had clearly not noticed the stranger sitting there.

Sakura smiled, " I've got it, I think this is who they were talking about." She said, gesturing to her right. The guy merely waved. _Oh no... not Tsunade... _

Tsunade tilted her head a bit, as if getting a better look at the guy, " Hm, Okay." She paused, clearly noticing something that Sakura had failed to. " Bring him to me when you're finished, Sakura." Sakura nodded, cleaning the blood off of the strangers arm as Tsunade walked away.

" Hold still!"

" How would YOU react to someone you've never even met putting a million different things on a wound!" He retorted, earning a glare from Sakura.

Once his arm was free of all the excess blood, Sakura wrapped the wound, tightly, on his arm. " There, that should hold for a bit. We'll have to keep changing it though."

He immediately snatched his arm back, examining it. "... Thanks, I guess." He said, hoping she'd forgotten about the Hokage. But unfortunately, Sakura had a good memory.

" You're welcome, now come on. We need to go see the Hokage." She said, watching as he reluctantly got up and followed her. He knew where the Hokage's office was, but she didn't need to know that. As they walked Sakura smiled, " So, what's your name? Mine's Sakura."

Oh great, people didn't usually ask him for a name. What should he say? " Um, just call me Kyu." Purely off the top of his head. (A/N: Can anyone guess what Kyu is short for? Kyuubi!) He wasn't about to say...

" Okay, Kyu!" She paused, " Here we are!" She held the door for Kyu, a bit surprised that someone was already with the Hokage. It was a boy, about 17 years old, handing a scroll to Tsunade. Sakura recognized him, and Kyu did as well.

Tsunade said her thanks to the ANBU leader and got a nod in return. Shortly after, the ANBU leader glanced over at Sakura and Kyu, before leaving.

Tsunade looked up, " Oh, you're here already. Good."

xXx

_That's him... I'm sure of it. _He attempted to say something to himself, but what came out was a raspy whisper.

* * *

Gotta love cliffhangers! I think I use them too much, oh well. It just makes people read the next chapter!

By the way, I'd like to introduce my new muse as of August 2, 2006, Kai! She's one of my best friends, as well as an inspiration for a lot of my story ideas.

Kai: Beware, I eat flames!

Arina: This is that rabid weasel I was talking about.

Kai: I'm not a weasel!

Arina: Suuuure you're not. Anyway, many thanks to the reviewers. Seriously, I love any kind of review, accept flames.

-Fear my muse, she broke the leash.-


	3. Reunion

Muwahahaha, BEWARE THE EVIL CLIFFY! So many reviewers commented about that. xD Anywho, it's just me for a while. Kai's off in Japan for two weeks. But, flames will instead be eaten by her 7month old cat, Chang. Haha!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto... what a loss for yaoi fans everywhere. But, I'd probably just screw things up anyway.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Reunion**

" Sakura, you may leave if you wish." Tsunade stated, she really only wished to speak with Kyu.

Sakura nodded, " Okay, Hokage." She left without questions, though she did decide to hang out outside the entrance. She wasn't alone in doing so either, the ANBU leader was also curiously eavesdropping. Sakura turned to face him, " Hey, back from you mission?" She asked, " How'd it go?" The two were obviously very close. The ANBU said nothing he just waved and shrugged, but Sakura understood him perfectly. After nearly four years of dealing with him, she could read his expressions very well.

Tsunade ignored the eavesdroppers and got right to business. " So, after all this time. You've gotten homesick I assume?"

Kyu's hands formed fists at his sides, " With all due respect, I'm just--"

" Passing by? You don't honestly think I'll believe that like Sakura did? Believe me, I'm not the Hokage for nothing."

" Then yes, your assumptions are true. But I don't want to be noticed!" Kyu demanded, rather loudly.

" I suggest that you stop hiding! All these years and everyone is _still _worried about you. And you most of them think you're dead now! Would you want to prove them all wrong!" Tsunade was serious, but so was he.

" I don't care anymore, if all you want to do is interrogate me--" He was interrupted again.

" I don't want to interrogate you, I want you to come home!" Tsunade argued, standing up and glaring at Kyu.

There was a long pause, then, " How did you know it was me?" He asked, pulling his hood down to reveal his face and opening his eyes.

" That hood didn't cover everything. Those whiskers only got darker with time," Tsunade was smiling now, " Naruto."

He indistinctively touched a hand to his whiskered cheek, damn the Kyuubi... " Well. Now that you've managed to figure me out can I leave now?"

Tsunade laughed, " No, you may not, brat. I'm not finished 'interrogating' you yet." She said pointedly, glancing over at the door and wondering when their listeners would reveal themselves.

Naruto pouted, folding his arms across his chest. Tsunade continued her onslaught of questions, " Naruto... what reasons do you have not to come back? Just tell me that, and I promise you may leave afterwards." She was serious again, her face held no trace of the previous laughter.

Naruto didn't have to think very long about that, his answer was sharp and quick, " I have no reason to come back to a village where everyone hates my guts! Not a single person cares anymore, so why should I stay?" Towards the end, his voice softened, as if it were a sensitive subject for him. Tsunade's mind went straight to the ANBU, one of two eavesdroppers, and wondered what was happening beyond the door.

xXx

Sakura's eyes widened and she immediately covered her mouth with her hands to prevent her gasp of shock from being heard. Naruto? Why hadn't she remembered, how could she have not recognized... She tore herself away from he frantic thoughts when she remembered her companion. She quickly looked up and over at him. If she saw correctly, he was trying desperately to hide his emotions.

His hands were shaking in fists at his sides, and she could've sworn that tears were slowly forming in his eyes.

Sakura swallowed, trying to rid herself of her own lump in her throat, " Sasuke... are you all right?" She didn't expect a response, and of course one never came. He stood there, trying to control himself to further listen in.

xXx

Tsunade knew that by saying what she was about to, she would be putting herself in hot water, " Are you sure of that? Are you sure that nobody cares for you anymore?" The glare she received for him was answer enough, " What if I told you... that one person still holds hope for you?"

" Then I'd say that you a bit off of your rocker." Naruto answered, quite blatantly. Though a slight sense of curiosity could be heard in his tone.

Tsunade once again glanced at the door, Sasuke must've been fuming by now. _That boy has too much self control... _She thought sadly. But, she continued her question with a sigh, " If I'm off my rocker, then why is there a trusted ANBU leader who refuses to speak because of you?"

Now, Naruto was interested. Was that person not speaking out of anger towards him? What could he have possibly done to a person like that? " What...?" He questioned.

At that moment, Tsunade smiled in triumph as Sasuke and Sakura ( Sakura mostly ) came bursting in. Sakura had tears steaming down her cheeks, and was almost dragging a shocked Sasuke by the wrist along behind her.

" Why don't you ask him yourself?" Tsunade said slyly, knowing her job was nearly finished. Provided that all went well. Sasuke was glaring daggers at Tsunade, wrenching his hand away from Sakura. She had nearly broken his wrist...

Sakura and Sasuke both remained a safe distance away, out of cautiousness. If this was Naruto, then they really didn't know him anymore. A person could go through so many physical and mental changes in a few years, goodness knows they all certainly did.

Naruto was confused as anything. Ask who? He turned his head to face Sakura and Sasuke, they had changed so much. Then it finally clicked in his mind. (A/N: Whether he likes it or not, he's still kinda slow.) That ANBU, was Sasuke? And, if Sasuke was an ANBU, did that mean that Sasuke was the one not speaking?

Tsunade interfered again, trying to get on Sasuke's nerves, " Go ahead, speak. You've got reason to now." Sasuke glared more fiercely at her, determined to prove her wrong. He wouldn't be provoked like that. Sakura, after examining a bit and wiping her eyes, took the first hesitant step forward.

" N-naruto..?" She said quietly. It was naruto, all this time? And she, supposedly one of his friends, hadn't even noticed? Her emotions were running haywire right now. Sasuke watched her, though still didn't speak.

Naruto turned his gaze back to the floor. he didn't want to answer her, he didn't want anyone getting attached to him. He did what he wanted to do, and now he wanted to leave.

" You can't tell me you're not speaking either!" Sakura suddenly shouted, causing everyone in the room to turn their heads. " I heard you, _we_ heard to talking to Tsunade-sama! Answer me!" She wasn't even trying to hide the anger shaking in her voice.

Naruto whirled around, " What do you expect me to say?" His voice was filled with the same anger that Sakura's was.

" I don't know! What do you say to someone after 3 or 4 years!" It wasn't a question, it was a statement. What would you say? Her emotions wouldn't allow her to simply say, ' Hey what's been going on? What brings you back to the village?'

Naruto knew she was right, but he was just as stubborn as Sasuke sometimes. Possibly, Naruto was even worse than Sasuke. Speaking of which. He glanced over at the ANBU leader. His arms were folded across his chest and he still wore a glare on his face, which got directed at anyone he made eye contact with. Especially Tsunade, who was watching the little show with great interest.

" Sakura, I'm sorry!" he paused, blushing slightly when he and Sasuke made eye contact. He couldn't help but notice that the ANBU's stare softened a bit. " I'm leaving..." He mumbled, quickly walking past everyone, pushing past Sakura, and out the door. Was this the only way...? Running away and facing your fears only in your thoughts? He knew it wasn't, but he tried it anyway.

Sakura went to run after him, but was quickly held back by Sasuke grabbing the collar of her shirt. " Ack!" She nearly stumbled back, but kept her balance and started crying again, sobbing into Sasuke's shoulder. ( He didn't have a choice in the matter.) As she cried, she was saying barely audible things about Naruto. ' He's so stubborn!' ' Baka! -Idiot-' and many other things.

Tsunade sighed, that didn't go as well as she'd hoped. She could only pray that Naruto didn't leave the village. She glanced over at Sasuke, wondering what he was thinking. Unlike Sakura, Tsunade didn't have the ability to read Sasuke's expressions.

xXx

( A/N: You people are lucky, I almost ended it there!)

Naruto found himself in a small spot that he used to go to as a kid. It was a shaded little grassy place. surrounded almost entirely by trees and brush. A small pond sat near the middle. He sat at the waters edge, dragging his finger across the surface of the water sadly. It was getting dark, but he didn't care. The sunset cast a warn glow, but was soon replaced by the darkness of the night. The moon shone brightly, reflecting on the waters surface. Naruto removed his finger from the water, suddenly getting angry and punching the water. The droplets of water scattered, getting him wet and distorting the image of the person walking up behind him.

" Found you."

Naruto whirled around, staring up in shock into the face of Sasuke. What was wrong with his voice? It sounded weak and unused. He quickly found words, " What're you doing here?"

Sasuke took a seat next to him, " Well, Sakura went home and I had nothing else to do. So I came looking for you."

Naruto stared at their reflections in the water, " Well, tell me. Why weren't you speaking? How long has this been going on?"

Sasuke's breath briefly caught in his throat, but he answered anyway, " It was because of you."

Naruto glared up at Sasuke, " I now that! But why? What did I do?"

" You didn't do anything, it was my own choice." He paused, thinking about what he said next, " Naruto, everyone thought you weren't coming back. Sakura, Lee, Shikamaru, Neji, everyone. Even Tsunade-sama." Naruto distinctively saw Sasuke's hands turn into fists. Sasuke thought harder about whether or not he should say what he wanted to say next, but he also wanted to preserve his dignity. " I knew you'd prove them all wrong though. I knew you'd come back. So, I made a vow to stop speaking until the day you returned." Well, he knew that sounded out of character but that was the only way he could think of saying that. He was oblivious to the large amount of blush that was on his cheeks.

Naruto was stared at Sasuke in shock. Why would he do such a thing, for him? Did the Uchiha actually care for anyone other than himself? " Sasuke..."

Sasuke immediately went defensive, " Look, don't go taking that the wrong way, dobe!" (A/N: Assuming you all know by now what dobe means...) The blush still lingered on his face, clearly hinting at other things. He sighed, softening the glare he had shot at Naruto and looking the other way.

Naruto gave Sasuke a questioning look, " Oh, okay. Sure." The kitsune could only wonder what was going through Sasuke's mind. Naruto tilted his head cutely to the side, " Sasuke, are you all right? You don't look so good."

Naruto apparently had acquired a sharp eye. Sasuke was struggling to hold back his emotions, he didn't want to end up like Sakura. His body was trembling, though from what, he didn't know.

Naruto straightened himself up, changing the subject. He stretched and yawned, " Boy, I'm getting sleepy.." Apparently, the sleep was heavier than either of them had anticipated. A few moments later, Naruto's vision was going hazy and his eye lids threatened to droop any second.

Sasuke had no sooner turned to face Naruto to say something, than Naruto had finally given in to the sleep that overcame him. Startling Sasuke and successfully pinning him down, Naruto fell sideways onto Sasuke's shoulder, sleeping peacefully.

* * *

Hehe, I love the way I ended this. It was a bit rushed towards the middle, but it was worth it for the ending dontcha think? Such a cute scene I might draw it out later on... Anyway, thanks to all the reviewers! Sorry for the time it took me to update. Chapter four is getting planned out in my head, so never fear!

Till next time!

- Arina


	4. What Should I Call This Feeling?

Nya! It's still just me... and Chang! Hehe.

When I thought about it at the end of the last chapter, I could just imagine the look on Sasuke's face. Somewhere along the lines of a cross between startled, confused, and somewhat happy. -Has to remember to draw it out...-

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto-sensei does though! ( Did I spell his name right? If not, I apologize!)

Dedication: Moony! -you know who you are... I hope-

Reviewers: I love you guys so much! Oh, and you're right about the whole ' Killing me for updates' deal. Who _would _update? Hm... Kai maybe? ... Anyway, all the great reviews along with everyone's support ( are they the same thing?) are huge ego boosters for me! And an inflated ego means... a longer story! Haha, really though, you reviewers rock! Domo Arigatou! -Thank you very much!-

* * *

**Chapter Four: What Should I Call This Feeling? **

The early morning sun shone brightly, temporarily blinding him. _What the... where...? _He questioned, pushing himself up off the grass to get a better look around. Oh yeah... he had come for Naruto last night. _Ugh... I must've fallen asleep... _He stretched, remembering that Naruto was there as well and blushed slightly. He shoulder still had drool remnants on it though...

Naruto was still asleep, right next to Sasuke. Sasuke stood up, trying to determine the time of day. Had anyone noticed that he was gone? He was only really worried about Sakura though, she had a knack for getting the wrong ideas sometimes.

Determining that it was still fairly early in the morning, around 8:00, he figured they still had time to cover their tracks. Two guys, a clearing, and nobody else around, that was definitely grounds for gossiping and pointing for at least a few months.

" Hey, dobe, wake up." He said, knowing full well that just asking him to wake up wouldn't work and kicked him in the ribs.

The blond cringed in his (slight) sleep, slowly opening his eyes and searching around for the source of what the pain in his side. " What... Sasuke? What're you.." He was still half asleep, and thus not finishing his sentences. He too soon remembered where they were, and attempted to get up, only to fall lazily back onto the dew dropped grass.

Sasuke glared down at the younger boy, " Come on, get up Naruto! We have to go before Sakura or anyone else finds us missing."

Naruto yawned, managing to sit up, " Why...? Sakura's nice enough right..? What're you so worried about?"

Sasuke shook his head at how dense Naruto seemed to be. He figured Naruto, of all people, wouldn't want to be ridiculed. _Though he may very well be used to it... _" Naruto, just get up and piece everything together later." He ordered, walking away and threatening to leave Naruto there.

" Ah!" Naruto scrambled to get up, " Wait for me!" he demanded, running after Sasuke and nearly sending them both crashing to the ground because he couldn't stop fast enough.

" Dobe!"

" Sorry..."

xXx

" Sakura! Sakura!" Somebody called out to the pink haired girl. Anyone could recognize him a mile away.

Sakura stopped walking, turning to face who was calling her, " Lee?" She was, as was predicted of her, looking for Sasuke and Naruto.

Lee came to a stop next to her. He looked almost exactly like Gai. Lee was now a Jounin, and an almost perfect Maito Gai clone. Though Sakura forced him to change his hairstyle long ago. It was now longer, and in a small ponytail. " Sakura, are the rumors true?"

Sakura looked at him skeptically, " That depends on what rumors you're talking about."

" Naruto! Is it true that Naruto has come back?" He had heard it from his fellow Jounin, TenTen, an hour ago, and had been searching for Sakura ever since.

Sakura smiled and nodded, " Oh, yeah. I'm looking for him and Sasuke right now actually. Don't you have to train with your team today?" She asked, referring to the three genins that were usually seen following Lee around. To her surprise, he shook his head.

" No, Emi got sick, so I gave them the day off." Emi, was one of the three genins. ( Though I think you guessed that..) Lee the used Sakura's brief silence to pull her into a quick hug, " Need help finding Naruto and Sasuke?" He asked, looking down at her.

She hugged him back, " Sure, that'd be great!"

( A/N: There you go Moony, Lee's scheduled appearance!)

xXx

" Hurry up!" Sasuke turned around to see what was keeping Naruto back this time. The blond had gotten himself tangled up in some shrubbery. Sasuke sighed, " This is the _last _time I'm going to help you! Next time, I'm leaving you there!"

" Okay, okay!" Naruto responded, trying to break a wayward vine with his teeth. Sasuke drew a kunai, easily cutting Naruto out while he worked on chewing a vine to death. Naruto kicked the remaining plants off of himself, spitting out the remnants of the vine, " Ugh... stupid wildlife..." He mumbled, following Sasuke and taking care to avoid overgrown patches.

When they had finally gotten out of the forest that led to Naruto's secret spot, they brushed off the bugs, and various leaves that fell on them, " I think we're good now, lets get on the road." Sasuke suggested, thinking of the many excuses that they could tell anyone who might see them on said road.

xXx

Lee had gone one way and Sakura had gone another in the search. Lee though, would be the successful one. He looked as if he were merely wandering the streets, occasionally greeting someone he knew.

" I told you I'm leaving you there!"

" What? This isn't a bunch of plants though!"

" Tough. Maybe some passer-by will be nice enough to get you out."

" These trashcans jumped out in front of me! Sasuke, come back!"

Lee looked ahead of himself, and sure enough, the source of the yelling was who he expected it to be. Naruto had gotten himself stuck inside an empty trashcan, and Sasuke was just about to walk away as he said. Lee quickly walked over to the small scene, " Sasuke, Naruto!" He was surprised, when did Sasuke start speaking again?

Sasuke looked up and Naruto immediately began to shout, " Ah! Whoever you are could you help me outta here?" You'd think a ninja could find his way out of a trashcan. Lee's voice had changed a bit, so Naruto didn't recognize him at first.

" Hey, Lee. Let me guess, Sakura sent you?"

Lee nodded, lifting the trashcan off of a very frustrated Naruto, " Yes, she's looking on the other side of the village though." Naruto shook his head, getting any debris off. Lee took a step back to avoid getting hit, " By the way, Naruto, welcome back!" He said, sounding very Lee-ish.

Naruto wanted to greet him, but the first thought that entered his mind was that of, " I'm not staying! Why wont anyone listen!" Actually, his mind was starting to change, but he wasn't about to tell anyone that. Especially Lee or Sasuke.

Lee and Sasuke exchanged glances, before Lee spoke, " Why won't you stay, Naruto?"

Naruto didn't answer, his attention had been drawn to Sasuke. The ANBU hadn't done anything, but a thought just struck his mind. Why was Sasuke suddenly being so cold? The Sasuke he had seen yesterday, or rather last night, had so much nicer, and open.

Lee ignored the absence of an answer, " Well, let's go find Sakura." He watched as Naruto stood up and followed along obediently, still deep in thought. Sasuke trailed along behind.

xXx

Sakura was standing at a street corner, thinking things over. _Did Lee find them..? _She wondered, because she had no luck. Sakura had her suspicions about why Sasuke and Naruto were missing, but, she kept them to herself. She had after all promised, and a pissed off ANBU was _not _a good thing in her mind.

" Sakura!" Lee's voice called again, tearing Sakura away from her thoughts.

She looked up, smiling and running over to the group, " There you guys are!" As what had happened was explained by Naruto, Sakura couldn't help but glance over at Sasuke. He didn't seem to notice though, and continued tuning everyone out.

"... and that's how we met up with Bushy Brows!" Naruto concluded, using Lee's old nickname.

Sakura nodded, letting Naruto know she'd heard all of the story. She felt Lee's arm wrap around her shoulders a few moments later. She glanced over at Sasuke again. The ANBU was now watching Naruto, though he averted his gaze when Naruto looked over at him.

_Sasuke... _

" Naruto." Sasuke said suddenly, just as they were about to leave. Sakura and Lee took the hint, continuing on their way and leaving Sasuke and Naruto alone.

Naruto, still in a good mood, turned to face Sasuke, " Yeah?" He titled his head to the side again, still trying to decipher the look on Sasuke's face and in his eyes. Those beautiful obsidian eyes that showed the emotions the face itself refused to show. More blush found it's way onto Sasuke's cheeks, what was wrong?

Sasuke's eyes briefly met Naruto's but he quickly looked down towards the ground again, rather shyly. " I'm sorry, okay?" He felt he had to apologize, though he knew one apology wouldn't make up for things. He figured out, that deep down, waaaaaay deep down, he actually had a soft spot for Naruto. But, what were these other feelings that came with it? Every time Naruto spoke, every time he even saw the blond, he got an unfamiliar odd feeling in the pit of his stomach.

" What are you apologizing for, Sasuke?" What had the other done? He hoped that Sasuke wouldn't leave him in the dark, as he had done before. Naruto could see it so clearly on Sasuke's cheeks, the distinct red tinge against otherwise pale skin. Why was Sasuke blushing? He had never known the other to blush, or be, well, like this.

Sasuke made eye contact this time, locking black with blue. " I've been a jerk, okay? That's why I'm apologizing. I've been snapping at you all day, and I always have been since we were in the academy." He paused, putting his hands in his pockets, " And for that I'm sorry."

Naruto was, to say the least, surprised at the sudden attitude change in Sasuke. Why as he being this nice, why would _he_, of all people, apologize for that? " Oh, okay. It's fine, don't worry about it." He said, reassuring Sasuke and smiling as he always did.

The blush remained on Sasuke's face, and he smirked, messing up Naruto's hair and even laughing a little, " You really are a dobe, Naruto."

Naruto's smile never left his face. Somehow he knew Sasuke didn't mean it when he called him a dobe anymore. Actually, he didn't think he ever really did mean it.

_What should I call this feeling? _

* * *

I LOVE the way I'm ending these lately! Haha, you all thought he was gonna say he loved Naruto didn't you? He will eventually, maybe... it's for me to know and you to find out eventually!

The next update may take a bit, seeing as this week I'm going with my grandmother to make my Halloween costume. I'm going as Edward Elric from FullMetal Alchemist. I'm seriously going all out on this thing. We're making a glove to cover my whole entire right arm and another one to cover my left leg so it looks like I have automail, just like Ed! We're also temporarily dying my hair goldish-blonde, and I'm going to use a straightening iron to straighten my hair, like Ed's! Yeah, can't you tell I'm excited?

Anyway, thanks for sticking with the story everyone! You all rock!

- Arina 

P.S.: I have to say it, or else I'll wind up doing the Fan Girl Squee and making everyone within a 50ft radius go deaf. IT'S SO FLUFFY! The story I mean. xD It _might _lose a bit of the fluff, _might_. I have never written anything more than fluff before though, so, yeah. I dunno, it's a possibility though.

AND starting with this chapter there will be a dedication at the beginning of each update, since my friends are so special to me! This is dedicated to Moony because she suggested that Lee showed up, and he did in this chapter. xD I know she hates the pairing; Lee x Sakura, so I've gotta apologize for that. Sorry!

-Has just gotten an idea- Muwahahahaha...


	5. Never Let Go

Quick as a flash, updates updates updates! Yeah, I obviously have a lot of time on my hands this week. Hm, is that good or bad? Good for you bad for me possibly? I miss Kai already, and she's only been gone for a few days! So, I dedicate this chapter to her! This chapter might be a bit un-Naruto-ish. Because I don't remember if there are any festivals in Konoha, so I made one up. The Cherry Blossom festival. -No pun on Sakura's name intended...-

Dedication: Dedicated to Kai, because she's off in Japan right now and will have a lot of catching up to do when she gets back! Poor her.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Again I'm at a lack for a catchy disclaimer...

Reviewers: Yes, Naruto just basically looks older. The Kyuubi only really changed him from the inside... hm... that'd be an interesting twist actually...

* * *

**Chapter 5: Never Let Go**

The next few days went by, and bit by bit Naruto was persuaded to stay, once again, in the Leaf Village. He, Sakura, and Sasuke helped pick out an apartment and everything. It was like old times, as if they were still on team 7 together.

The trio wandered through the bustling village. Today was the day of the Cherry Blossom festival. Sakura had an unusually inflated ego today, and was easily getting on Sasuke's nerves. He was almost thankful when someone they knew came running up to them from the crowd.

" Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto!"

Sakura's blood was instantly boiling, she still had a grudge against Ino. The blonde was waving, mainly to Sasuke. " Wow, I never thought I'd see Uzumaki again." She said, coming to a stop in front of the group. " there're so many rumors going around. Are they all true? It's obvious that Naruto's back, but is Sasuke seriously talking too?" Ino hadn't changed much. She still had her ponytail, though it was lower on her head, and she had a Jounin outfit.

Sakura simmered, not answering anything because it was clear that Ino wanted Sasuke to answer. Which he did, if for any reason just to get her to go away faster. . " Yes, every rumor is true, Ino." He stepped a bit closer to Naruto, not wanting to be 'alone' when Ino was near.

Ino smiled, " Well, you know today's the festival right? Are you three going together?"

Sakura finally chimed in, trying to sound nice, " Yes, Lee's coming along too." Suddenly one of Ino's friends called for her, signaling that Ino had to take her leave.

" Oh, well, looks like I'm wanted else ware. It was nice seeing you three again." She said, waving again and jogging off to meet her friend.

Sakura and Naruto sighed, " Finally, she's gone.." Sakura said, wondering why she wasn't hitting on Sasuke. Naruto and Sasuke were standing close together, almost shoulder to shoulder. This surprised Sakura a bit, did Naruto..?

Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She took Sasuke by the wrist again, dragging him across the street and into an alley where nobody could hear them, leaving Naruto thinking he got lost. " Sakura, what's--"

" Sasuke! you have to tell him today!" She interrupted, pinning Sasuke to a wall.

Sasuke glared at her, " Tell him what, Sakura?"

She thrust him at the wall, " You know what I'm talking about, Sasuke! Tell him or else it may be too late!"

" What if I don't want to!" He would've said more, but Naruto was coming closer in search of them.

Sakura dropped Sasuke, still glaring at him, " You're lucky." She jogged out onto the sidewalk, " Over here Naruto!" She called, acting as if nothing had happened. Sasuke came out of the alley, brushing himself off and glancing over at Naruto.

xXx

There were so many familiar faces at the festival. Naruto managed to recognize Hinata, Kiba, Shikamaru, Iruka, Kakashi, and Neji. He was proud of himself for that too, he wondered where the rest had gone off to?

The festival started in the early afternoon, having many activities and such to draw in a bigger crowd. It actually wasn't a nig thing, it was just a celebration of the Cherry Blossoms blooming around Konoha. But either way, people enjoyed it.

Kakashi and Iruka joined the trio as they wandered around the festival, occasionally pointing out people and stopping for a quick hello. They soon found Lee and Gai, still ever the ' Dynamic Duo'. Gai was of course surprised to see Naruto and hear Sasuke, but they had gotten used to people reacting that way by now.

Naruto stretched, flopping down onto the grass. Everyone had gathered at a hill ( Everyone being everyone at the festival ), where they could clearly see the fireworks that were scheduled to go off. Everyone had grouped up or paired up, the festival was almost over.

" When're the fireworks going to go off?" Sakura asked nobody in particular, sitting down on Naruto's right with Lee.

Kakashi answered her, with a very blatant answer, " When it gets dark enough out of course." Sakura hit herself on the head, getting a small laugh out of Naruto and a smile out of Lee.

Sasuke sat down on Naruto's other side, looking at Sakura who eventually returned the stare. She quickly gave him a warning glare before turning back to listen to what Lee was saying. Sasuke glared at her back, his eyes briefly flashed red, but were soon back to their original color.

Slowly but surely, the sky darkened leaving only the lights from various stands to give off any light. They too, eventually went out.

The fireworks started shortly after, exploding in the sky and blinding several people. ( A/N: That happened to me... it made my head hurt...) Sasuke looked over at Naruto, the fireworks were reflecting with the excitement in his eyes.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Sasuke stood up, walking to a vacant part of the hill beneath a tree. Why? Why did he feel this way? Did Naruto feel the same? He couldn't ask him, what if it ruined their friendship? He didn't want to risk it. He leaned against the tree with his arms folded, " Dammit..." He mumbled, soon realizing he wasn't alone.

" What's the matter Sasuke?" Naruto suddenly said, he had followed Sasuke when he got up. Seeing the other like this, well, it made his heart ache. He sat down next to Sasuke, hoping he'd open up.

Sasuke looked over at him, " Naruto.." Sasuke surprised even himself, when his lips suddenly met Naruto's in a kiss.

Naruto didn't know what to do, but... he returned the kiss. When they parted, Sasuke almost immediately wrapped his arms around the other boy to bring him closer. He never wanted to let go. He could finally name that feeling, " Naruto, I love you..." Sasuke said, hugging the other closer (if possible).

Naruto hugged him back, burying his face in Sasuke's shirt and nodding, and crying. He didn't need to say it, it was a mutual feeling. They had finally gotten their feelings in the open.

Sasuke looked down at Naruto, lifting his head, " What're you crying for?" He asked, wiping a tear off of his cheek with his finger. Again, Naruto remained silent, hugging Sasuke and burying his face into his shirt again. He was overwhelmed by his own feelings.

And once again, Sasuke found himself pinned and unwilling to move Naruto when he fell asleep. But he had to, he didn't really want to spend the night outside again when both of their homes were a short while away. _Thank god Naruto's a heavy sleeper... _Sasuke said, repositioning the blond so that he could carry his sleeping form.

When they met up with the group again, Sakura smiled at Sasuke, knowing what had happened by the look on Sasuke's face.

* * *

And that's where this chapter shall end. So cute, so cute. Do they all seem a bit OOC to anyone? I dunno... Oh well, the next chapter will introduce our favorite Kazekage... Gaara! Hm, why is he in the Leaf Village?

Thanks for all the great reviews, again, they are a HUGE ego booster. That's why, and how, I got TWO chapters done this fast! Huzzah!

See Ya!

-Arina


	6. Gaara of the Sand

Wow, this story certainly is progressing isn't it? Haha. May I just say; I had no clue that there were guys out there that liked Yaoi! I guess you learn something new everyday, huh?

Reviewers: Was it a spur-of-the-moment thing? Who knows. I think the flow of the story worked better that way though. As for a lemon, that's still undecided. Thanks for all the support though everyone!

Disclaimer: Not. Mine. These really are a pain to write...

Additional Notes: I curse my friends for getting me into _this_ particular pairing... Gaara x Lee -covers head and hopes not to be flamed- Just remember the flame eating cat... It will only be slight though, remember, the main pairing is Sasuke x Naruto. I hope this doesn't get sidetracked...

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**Chapter 6: Gaara of the Sand**

" How long has he been gone?"

" About a week and a half, sir."

" Are the rumors to be believed true?"

" I suppose sir, but we can't say for certain. Somebody would have to go confirm them."

"I'll set out tomorrow."

xXx

" That does it! Get back here, Emi!" A young boy shouted angrily at his teammate, chasing after her when she ran away to avoid his wrath.

" Um, Sensei? Shouldn't we stop them?" The other boy, the third member of the trio, asked as he tugged on Lee's sleeve.

Lee sighed, " If anything it's good exercise... Emi always has been faster than Ryo." The other boy nodded, watching as Emi effectively climbed a tree, using it as a means of escape. Well, until Ryo managed to climb up it as well. They had just finished a lesson, leaving Ryo in a bad mood.

Emi screamed as Ryo finally caught up with her, " Ah! Help! Sensei, Koji, someone!"

Koji took a step towards Lee, " I'm not getting involved are you nuts!" The boy exclaimed, earning a glare from Emi.

" Ugh, settle down. Ryo, leave Emi alone--" He cut himself off, seeing a figure walking down the road. Was that...? No, why would he be in the Leaf Village? He shook off the feeling, and watched as his genin stopped fighting for the time being, watching him with interest.

xXx

Needless to say Naruto and Sasuke weren't the same around each other. Sakura and Lee were the only two who knew of the twos new relationship. Sakura was rather proud of herself for giving Sasuke a 'push in the right direction' as she called it. Sasuke of course begged to differ, denying the idea that anyone had helped at all. Lee was pretty calm about the situation. Hell, being around Gai-sensei for the better chunk of his childhood had made him _very _open-minded.

At the moment it was just Lee, Sasuke, and Naruto. Sakura had been called off due to work. They were all used to it by now though. Lee stopped himself mid-sentence, remembering something he had wanted to ask, " Oh, Sasuke, Naruto, have either of you seen anybody... um... out of place in the village?"

Sasuke immediately looked over at Naruto, and then back to Lee.

"...Teme."

Lee pretended not to notice, " Seriously, have you?"

Sasuke shook his head, " Nope, just the usual suspects."

Naruto thought for a minute, " No..." He looked over at the streets, watching the people. Nothing weird there--- Wait a minute... _No way, what's he doing here? _A realization suddenly struck Naruto, giving him a look of shock. _Crud, of all the things to forget..!_

" Naruto?"

" Dobe, are you okay?"

Naruto shook his head, blinked (ignoring Sasuke and Lee) and looked again. Had he been fooled? Was his mind playing tricks on him?

" Dobe! Answer us!" Came the demand that made Naruto snap back into reality.

" Huh, oh, sorry. Um, no. Sorry, Lee. Why're you asking?"

Lee folded his arms across his chest, " Well, earlier I could've sworn I'd seen Gaara of the Sand walking around."

Naruto visibly cringed, dammit! He wasn't seeing things, he really had seen the Kazekage! Was he here looking for him, or did he have business with Tsunade? Either way, Naruto wanted to stay clear of him.

Sasuke and Lee both looked over at Naruto, " What's wrong with you?" Sasuke questioned. Why did the mention of the Kazekage make his lover so nervous?

Naruto grew red, " N-nothing, I'm fine."

xXx

Tsunade should've expected this, she knew she should've seen it coming. When she could be out gambling her life away in her free time, she had gotten a visitor instead.

" Well, this is a pleasant surprise. What brings you here?" She asked, leaning back in her chair and narrowing her eyes at the Kazekage.

He didn't want to say more than he had to. So he skipped the formalities, " Where is Uzumaki Naruto?" He asked, giving Tsunade the same cold stare he gave almost everyone.

(A/N: Before anyone comments about it: I know that eventually Gaara protects Lee, but I have no clue what happens after that. Kay? )

Tsunade was actually glaring now, " What business would one such as yourself have with him?"

Gaara happily returned the look , " If you will not tell me where to find him I can just as easily look around in the village." He stated quite simply.

Tsunade knew that either way Naruto was going to be found, but she did not want to be on the receiving end of his wrath later. So she did what any respectable person would do in her position, " I will not tell you, have a fun hunt, Gaara."

Gaara did not show any sign of anger more than he already was, " Fine, I bid you a temporary farewell then." Tsunade raised her hand to show that she was saying no more, watching Gaara's retreating back and sighing. She turned around in her chair to look out the large window. _Naruto, what have you done this time..._

xXx

"GET IT OFF OF ME! GET IT OFF OF ME!" Sakura screeched, attempting to shake off a centipede that had crawled onto her arm. Nobody got too close because she was flailing around so much. " EWEWEWEWEW!"

" Sakura, Sakura calm down! Stop moving around so much and we might be able to get it off!" This did nothing to help her cause though, and Sasuke and Lee were forced to pin her down while Naruto reluctantly picked the small bug off of her shoulder, tossing it into a clump of bushes. When Lee and Sasuke let go of her arms Sakura was shaking, trying to stop her skin from crawling.

" It was a bug... an ugly, stinky, slimy, bug!"

Sasuke scoffed, " Whoever heard of a medical ninja being afraid of a little bug? You've seen worse things in life, Sakura." He stated, keeping one eye on Naruto as he snuck up behind Sakura with a blade of grass.

" AHH! THERE'S A BUG ON MY EAR!" She immediately ran her hands all over her head, trying to catch the 'bug'. Naruto was having the time of his life, the blade of grass fell to the ground as he laughed hysterically.

Lee and Sasuke sighed, Naruto would be in hot water later. Once again, Lee and Sasuke each took an arm in an attempt to restrain Sakura, glaring at Naruto. " Sakura, there's no bug this time, it was just Naruto!"

Naruto stopped laughing, gulping and getting ready to run as Sakura shot him a death glare. If looks could kill, that one would've done the trick. Sakura yanked both of her arms free, running after Naruto with a shaking fist. " Naruto! Get back here!"

Naruto ran for his life, knowing full well that Sasuke wasn't going to help him now. He just ran, not knowing ( or caring ) where he was going. " Sakura, it was a joke! You know, 'ha ha', a joke?"

He looked back at Sakura, her face was red and she was slowly gaining speed. He too accelerated, running as fast as his legs would carry him. Boy, this brought back a few unpleasant memories...

As he was reminiscing he wasn't looking where he was going ( like he ever was... ), and ran right into someone before he could stop himself. Before they all knew it the two of the were in a heap on the ground. Sakura, luckily, had managed to stop fast enough. Sasuke and Lee soon came running up behind her, she was pretty quick when she wanted to be.

Naruto sat up, rubbing his head and shooting a glare, " Hey, watch where you're going, pal!"

" I've been looking for you." Came the reply. He ignored what Naruto had said and gotten straight to the point.

Naruto blinked, " ... Um... Hi Gaara..." He mentally hit himself on the head. _Great going, stupid! You ran straight into the person you were dead set against seeing! _

Lee's breath caught in his throat, and Sakura turned around to see if he was okay. They all remembered the chunin exams vividly, especially Lee's fight.

Gaara stood up and brushed himself off, glancing over at Lee and sending a chill down the Jonin's spine. He returned his gaze back to Naruto, " If I recall correctly, didn't you say you would be back in a few days?"

Naruto noted that that last remark made Gaara sound like a housewife, " I know, I know. I wound up staying, so what?"

Gaara thought about what he said next, " We all thought you got attacked by some rogue shinobi, that's all. I had business with Tsunade anyway so I came to check up on you." He lied, folding his arms across his chest as he stood up.

" Well I didn't, I'm fine!"

The others were confused. Why were Naruto and Gaara of the Sand acting so familiar with each other? Sakura spoke first, " Naruto, what's this about?" She had forgotten, for now, about her anger.

Naruto sighed, " Well, before I came back here I was staying at the Village of the Sand. That's it, no biggie."

They all remained silent for a few long minutes, each contemplating their own thoughts. Sakura now found herself rooted next to Lee. She looked up at him, it wasn't normal for him to be this, well, speechless. he almost always had something to say. But no matter how much she willed it, he said nothing in regards to Gaara.

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Okay, ready? This is the first organized story I have ever written! I have the chapters all planned out now, I'm so proud of myself! Normally, everything would be off the top of my head, but not this! Nope, tis all planned out and written down in my notebook! Yay! But, I have concluded that there will, unfortunately for some, not be a lemon. Sorry, I want to get used to that kind of thing first. I can't even read the things yet, my mind just wont allow it.

Anyway, yeah, please no flames for the sudden Gaara x Lee thing, like I said, I curse Moony and Paddy. Well, no, actually I don't... It's a confusing subject...

'Till next time!

-Arina


	7. The Encounter

Wow, reviewers have an odd way of pointing stuff out that we've missed. Anyway, let's welcome back, Kai!

_Hi peoples I'm back from the heaven called the streets o f Tokyo! They had so much anime and bishounen in the stores!_

( Note: Kai's typing is spell checked by me. _Screw proper grammar! That's what editors are for! ) _

Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto. Do you see any yaoi? _Nope. _

Warning/Note: This may be a bit of a spoiler for those who don't know about Itachi, Sasuke eventually siding with Orochimaru, etc. Also, we kind of altered what happens in the show. Such as; Gaara never gets kidnapped. I, Arina, have almost no knowledge of the show after what happens on the weekly new episodes on Toonami. Some of the stuff in this chapter is based off of things I have learned from others who read the manga. ( Which I'll eventually get to... ) This is basically our version of what would/will happen.

* * *

**Chapter 7: The Encounter**

Air whipped by him as he moved soundlessly through the forest. The traitor, Kabuto, Had been sent merely to _encourage _the Uchiha a little further. He reached his destination, a tree large enough to hide him from view while he waited for the target. He looked around, checking to make sure he was alone, and effortlessly grabbed a hold of the closest tree branch. He swung his body up and landed on said branch, remaining still and silent as the time went by.

xXx

Gaara and Tsunade had found themselves in each others presence once again, so Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura left them to their calm fighting. Naruto stretched, it was early morning and he was still a bit tired. To make sure he didn't fall, he put his arm around Sasuke's shoulders as they walked. Sakura looked at him and couldn't stifle a laugh. " Sasuke, you might end up carrying Naruto soon." She joked, watching Naruto yawn and force his eyelids open.

Sasuke shook his head, " Whatever, we'll just stick a bowl of ramen under his nose if he falls asleep." Sasuke soon calculated that doing that would only make Naruto _want_ to fall asleep, and regretted his words.

Sakura giggled some more at the comment, just like Sasuke. They stopped in a small clearing on the side of the road. Naruto dropped onto the grass with a sigh, laying back and enjoying the quiet. Sasuke sat on Naruto's right, watching his content lover. Sakura leaned against a tree, but she too soon gave in and allowed herself to slide down onto the grass.

Sasuke's eyes briefly glanced over at a large tree amongst the forest that almost surrounded them, the road of course was open space. There was something there, he could sense the chakra emitting from whoever it was.

Naruto fell asleep and Sakura lifted her head from watching a rather ' ugly stinky bug' closely so as to make sure it didn't come near her. " Sasuke, are you okay?" She asked, seeing the suspicious glance he was giving something she couldn't see.

He didn't respond, not even looking at her but keeping his attention on his target. He stood up, a kunai suddenly in his hand. Sakura watched him go into the forest before turning her attention back to the bug.

xXx

Kabuto, also nodding off a bit, snapped back into reality when the Uchiha became more alert. With an evil smirk, he soundlessly jumped from his tree branch into another in a tree a bit farther away, hoping to lure Sasuke deeper into the forest. He went from tree to tree until he was satisfied with the distance, and sure enough Sasuke had went further in to investigate.

Sasuke stopped in his tracks when Kabuto suddenly dropped down from the tree, landing skillfully a few feet away from him. Sasuke's eyes widened briefly before he regained his composure and prepared to defend himself; he knew he should've known better than to walk in alone.

Kabuto laughed, " You're going to hurt yourself, put those away." He half joked with Sasuke, getting a fierce glare in response. " You wish to kill someone, am I correct? The infamous Uchiha Itachi?" he said a bit too casually, walking towards Sasuke. " But, you're still no match for him, especially with his advanced Sharingan."

Sasuke tried to hide the fear in his eyes. Kabuto laughed, " Everything I've stated is true, right? You need more power to defeat your brother, but you have yet to gain it."

What was he implying? He had a feeling he knew, but he couldn't put his finger on the answer. " What do you want _this _time! The last time Orochimaru just wanted my body!"

Kabuto scoffed now directly in front of Sasuke. " I'm here to extend an offer. It's up to you whether or not you take it. You seek power, and _we_ can give it to you. With the proper training, you could be one of the strongest shinobi ever. Stronger than Itachi." He stopped to examine the look on Sasuke's face. His expression remained icy towards Kabuto, but his eyes told a different story. He was actually pondering the invitation, but he quickly refused, putting it to the back of his mind and distancing himself from Kabuto.

Kabuto's smirk remained, " Just think about that. You're free to come to the Sound village whenever you feel like it if you accept." Sasuke shifted his gaze to the ground, trying to ignore Kabuto. When he looked up again however the traitor had disappeared without a trace, leaving Sasuke alone.

Sasuke sighed, trying to look normal as he walked back to the clearing. He occasionally checked trees for signs of life and got a bit jumpy when ever something moved such as a squirrel or a rabbit. When he finally emerged from the forest, pushing branches and the like out of the way, Sakura and Naruto were playing a game that was quickly forgotten when they saw him.

" Sasuke, where were you! We thought you'd gotten lost or something!" Sakura exclaimed, standing up and hurrying over to him. He looked a bit shaken to her. Naruto came up behind her, a concerned look adorned his features. " Are you alright?" Sakura asked quietly. She looked closer and saw he was shaking a bit, though with anger or something else she didn't know.

Sasuke tore his gaze away from the two of them, " I'm fine, don't worry." He said that in a quieter than usual tone, a tone he only used when around Naruto.

Said Naruto tilted his head cutely to the side, " Sasuke? Are you sure nothing happened? You don't get scared easily."

Sasuke looked over at Naruto, regaining his normalcy " I'm fine!" He said, much sterner now as if to close the subject. Naruto's eyes widened and he took a step back at the sudden change in attitude, it scared him a bit when Sasuke got like this. Sakura swallowed and also took a few steps back, giving Sasuke some space.

_I can't tell them, they don't need to know. _

xXx

Nighttime. Everyone else was asleep, save for the Kazekage. Thus, he was forced out onto the roads of Konoha, wandering around out of boredom and thinking things over.

"_Usumaki? What are you doing here?" He asked, sitting at his desk and examining the 12-13 year old boy. He looked beaten up, as if he'd been on his own for a long time, and he wore no headband. _

_Naruto bowed his head, though in respect or otherwise Gaara couldn't tell. " I, I want to know if I can stay in the Village of the Sand. For now at least." _

_Gaara's eyes widened a little bit, but soon his gaze grew softer. The depressed look on his friends face was enough for him to allow this. He nodded, " No problem. But, care to tell me why you've obviously run off?" _

_Naruto visibly tensed up, " I'd rather not talk about it right now." He lifted his head to see Gaara better. _

_The Kazekage stood up, " That's fine." He didn't even feel a little cautious by allowing Naruto to stay, as a normal Kage would have. " We can arrange an apartment for you if you like. Just follow her," he pointed to his assistant, " and check in with me in the morning." He advised, looking through documents in a small cabinet. He watched as Naruto voiced his thanks and was led off by the woman. _

_Over time, Gaara saw a few very noticeable changes in Naruto. His attitude had mellowed out, he was a bit more secluded. He barely talked to anyone aside from Gaara as a matter of fact. Gaara soon found himself attached to the boy in a brotherly way, always worrying until Naruto came in to check in or just to talk. _

_Then the day came, when Naruto said he'd be gone for a bit. _

" _I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I just want to visit. You know, for old times sake." He said, as if asking for Gaara's permission even though he didn't really need it. _

_Gaara folded his hands together on the desk, " Just don't be gone too long, Naruto. There are too many rogue shinobi out there that would be more than willing to fight to the death." Warned Gaara, giving Naruto a stern gaze that clearly meant what he was saying._

_Naruto nodded, " I'll be fine, I doubt I'll be gone more than a week." he said, getting a small nod from the Kazekage._

" _All right then, you may go. But I want to know when you get back."_

* * *

A rather cruddy way to end this... sorry. Okay, reasons for the update delay:

. Laziness

. High School

. Sprained Ankle

. More Laziness

. Edward Elric Costume

. MORE Laziness

Yep, that about sums it up. There was going to be a GaaraxLee thing at the end, but I need more experience in that particular pairing before I go and add anything. So, the story's just going to go on as planned.

Apologies Go Out To: Paddy and Moony, and the readers whom waited so long for this update!


	8. Update Info

-**Pains of the Past Update Info**

To make these allowed to be up in this story, I'll be putting a teeny tiny ficlet on here. At the bottom of the page.

I'm here to apologize to my beloved readers, supporters, etc. Times have been rather hectic lately and I haven't been able to update my stories as quickly as I'd hoped. Especially this one, the one everyone seems to like the best! I feel horrid, so that's why this is up here. It will be deleted from the story when I get my butt back in gear though.

For starters with this story, I lost my outlines!! Gah! I remember what was supposed to happen, but not in great detail. I don't even know if I'll be able to get the sequel out or not, this story may very well go unfinished.

Gomen nasai! (I'm very sorry!)

But I promise, this story will be my number one focus when uodating because of how highly everyone thinks of it. Out of all my sotries it's had the most hits, reviews, c2's, etcetera! That makes me so happy but I know all of you are upset with me for updating...er...not updating.

But I promise once I get everything onto my laptop and once I get organized, this story will continue on to the very end, even if it takes me until H.S graduation! (In four years... I'm a freshman.)

So please just be lienent with me!

----

Short story: Hello Mr. Rattlesnake!

"Ugh.. what the heck are we doing out here anyway, Naruto?" A thirteen year old Sasuke asked, looking at the desert around him in slight disgust.

Naruto could only grin like a child, searching for something. "I saw it yesterday, it sounded like it had a rattle and I want to find it again so I can show you!" He began kicking sand all over the place, regretting doing so once the wind blew.

"A rattle? Naruto are you that dense?"

Naruto didn't answer, he only kept kicking, digging, and searching like a bloodhound.

Sasuke sighed, watching him with remote interest. It was amazing, the more he learned about the nine tailed fox's vessel, the more simple minded he seemed. Most of the time his thoughts revolved around becoming the hokage and ramen. Though, were the two of them really that different in their single track minds?

Naruto shouted, "Aha! Found it!", tearing Sasuke out of his thoughts. After a few seconds Naruto came running over, holding a snake in his hands. The rattle on its tail flicked around noisily. "See? Isn't this thing so cool look at it's tail!" he said, a bit too enthusiastically.

Sasuke examined the snake before glaring back up at naruto, "You dobe, do you realize what kind of snake that it? It's a _poisionus_ rattle snake! If that thing bites you you'll be sorry." He lectured, keeping an eye on the seemingly calm snake.

Naruto gave him a questioning look, "Eh? Really?" He looked down at the snake, clearly wanting to see for himself, "Is it deadly?"

"What do you think the word 'poisionus' means, Naruto?"

Naruto shrugged, "It's still got a cool tail." He said simply, making Sasuke shake his head at him.

"Dobe."

"Oh come on! You're so grouchy!"

"Yep."

"At least try to act like you're enjoying yourself!"

"Why?"

"You're so--" Naruto got cut off, the snake had clearly had enough and bit him on the hand. "Ow!! Stupid snake!" Naruto shouted, dropping the snake and cradling his bleeding hand. Thankfully, the snake hadn't injected much venom into the boy.

Sasuke smirked, "I told you. Learn to listen when people are talking Naruto." Sasuke said, examining Naruto's injured hand as if he were a professional doctor. "You'll live long enough for us to get back to Konoha." He assessed. "Hopefully."

Naruto remained silent, in almost permanent shock. "I'm going to die?!?!"

Sasuke hid a small laugh behind his hand, the journey back home would be amusing.

----

Well, there you have it. no, Naruto won't die. He'll be just fine as long as he doesn't find a scorpion next. (That has a double meaning. Sasori is a member of the Akatsuki and his name also means Scorpion. I know, bad joke.)

Oh well, hope this holds you guys over for a bit.

Gomen nasai, thank you for your (hopefully) continued support.

Oh, and excuse all of the typos that are undoubtedly in here.


End file.
